Liverpool 0-0 Manchester United: Stalemate at Anfield as David de Gea pulls of stunning save to ensure Jose Mourinho’s defensive Red Devils leave with a point

Liverpool and Manchester United played out a goalless draw in their lunchtime meeting at Anfield

David de Gea produced a stunning save in the first half to keep out an effort by Liverpool’s Joel Matip

Romelu Lukaku endured a difficult opening 45 minutes as he missed a chance and clashed with Dejan Lovren

Emre Can had a good chance for Liverpool after the break but couldn’t find the back of the net

The result takes Manchester United top of the Premier League, for a few hours at least

Jose did what Jose does. And Jose got what Jose wanted.

Neither spectacle nor occasion will move Mourinho from a preordained strategy. Rumours that he would start with nine forwards and just one defender proved surprisingly unfounded. A point was what he needed and a point was what he took home.

It was Liverpool, with one win in eight game now, who badly needed a victory. Yet football’s oldest law says that it’s easier to contain than create. Mourinho knows it. Perhaps not to the extent that his fiercest critics would contend. Lest we forget – and he certainly won’t allow us to – his Real Madrid team were record goal-scorers in La Liga and his Chelsea side magnificent at times.

Joel Matip forced a stunning save from David De Gea who used his legs to deny the defender with stunning reflexes

But right now, he doesn’t need the show. The flair associated with this club of old can be saved for the goal festivals against the likes of West Ham, Swansea, Everton and Crystal Palace. Liverpool away requires a different plan. And, as Mourinho famously claimed at this ground once before, he’s not about to play the part of the clown at the circus. The hoopla and excitement of the game, you suspect, moved him not a jot. His eye is on a bigger prizes.

It was Jurgen Klopp’s turn, two years into his Liverpool tenure and facing questions as to how much progress has been made, to show us what he’s got. The onus was on him; or rather, that is how Mourinho wanted the game to be defined. And so that is largely how it played out.

Not that it didn’t have all the ingredients of England’s most formidable football clash. Crowds thronged outside from breakfast time in anticipation of something special. When the time came, Anfield roared for Kenny Dalglish, celebrating the stand named after him on Friday and the knot of United fans in the corner shouted defiance. This remodelled stadium is now a fitting stage and at times that din was intoxicating.

There was an embrace between Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho on the touchline before battle began at Anfield

Nemanja Matic put in a thundering tackle on Philippe Coutinho as the tone was set in the early stages of the contest

Antonio Valencia, the Manchester United captain, plays the ball down the line under pressure from Liverpool’s Coutinho

Georginio Wijnaldum curls a shot towards goal but the effort from the Dutchman is easily saved by De Gea

Yet, frankly, the game itself, at present struggles to match the atmosphere, which is becoming the star of these ultimately-disappointing encounters.

At times, Liverpool threatened to break the leash with which had subdued them. Principally there was a moment on 36 minutes when Roberto Firmino produced a dummy which left Nemanja Matic bewildered. The Brazilian’s cross found Joel Matip six yards out: he shot and David de Gea saved brilliantly and instinctively while Mohamed Salah fired the rebound wastefully wide.

In those moments you could question Mourinho and wonder whether he placed too much faith in his own ability to contain and control a contest. . With Frimino, Salah and Philippe Coutinho, was always have a chance and as the defensive side, you always run that risk of being undone by a moment of genius. But those moments were few and far between.

Coutinho saw plenty of the ball during the opening 20 minutes. Here he is challenged by Ander Herrera

Sir Alex Ferguson was involved in many high profile games between Manchester United and Liverpool and took in this one

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah was the dangerman early on, causing problems for United defenders including Phil Jones

Alberto Moreno went flying over a challenge by Ashley Young as the two No 18s came together in midfield

Matic fires a shot towards goal from outside the box, as Wijnaldum turns his back, but he was unable to find the net

The half ended with the home fans calling for a card after Romelu Lukaku clashed with Dejan Lovren

Lovren rolled on the turf in pain following the clash with Lukaku but the Belgian striker did not face any action from the referee

Undoubtedly Liverpool were the better side in that they seized the initiative, as you might have expected at Anfield, and attempted to wrest the game from Mourinho’s grasp. And Salah, fresh from his Egyptian heroics, was incisive, cutting inside United’s defence with his pace, though his penalty claim in the 16th was rightly waved away.

But in general, Mourinho looked as though this was all in the plan and that nothing would disturb it. He has faced down more fearsome side that this Liverpool outfit in his time. There is pretty much a formula from getting away a high-profile contest with what he requires.

Starting with Ashley Young at right wing rather than left back was a clear indication of where the game was heading even before kick off. On those occasions when Romelu Lukaku did receive the ball and set off on a customary charge goalwards, neither Young nor Anthony Martial rushed to join him; their defensive duties clearly as much in their mind as their attacking role.

Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal was working at the game for Dutch television and greeted the fans

Mourinho shook the hand of a United fan who threw the ball away from him after he asked for it back

That said, United, with little more than a wayward Nemanja Matic shot to show for their first half, still almost went into the break head. Henrikh Mkhitaryan played in Lukaku and the Belgian forced hit it first time, forcing a fine save from his compatriot in goal, Simon Mignolet, on 44 minutes.

As time wore on, Murinho’s strategy received a more thorough interrogation Firmino’s strike on 49 minutes set both the side netting and Liveroool hearts fluttering; Joe Gomez lifted a ball into the box for Emre Can on 52 minutes which the German directed high over the bar. Still, these were chances and United, though hardly rocking, were at least a little shaky.

Liverpool continued to probe. On 71 minutes Salah was the breadth of stud away from connecting with a Firmino cross. By now Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford had joined the fray but more to reinforce the shape rather than throw caution to the wind. Liverpool introduced Daniel Sturridge and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain on 79 minutes. To no avail. What had been preordained by Mourinho came to pass. It wasn’t pretty but you couldn’t help but admire the predictability.

Valencia stepped in to turn the ball away from Coutinho as he looked to cross the ball into the United box

Mkhitaryan is challenged by Liverpool men Can and Wijnaldum as the two teams continue to battle for superiority

Klopp lets out a roar as he urges his side on to try and secure victory in the closing minutes of the clash at Anfield

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